


Troubling Dreams

by downpourcity



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Season/Series 03
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:55:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21866347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/downpourcity/pseuds/downpourcity
Summary: Pippa Pentangle is plagued with horrifying nightmares every night for several months. Her Deputy Headmistress asserts her worry and leads Pippa on a quest for truth.
Relationships: Hecate Hardbroom & Pentangle (Worst Witch)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 31





	Troubling Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> It's my first one-shot I offer to this fandom... Please be gentle. It's also incredibly angsty. I may write a fluffy established Hicsqueak fic just before Christmas.  
> -downpourcity

Pippa Pentangle sat at her large and ornate desk with the most tired expression firmly pressed upon her delicate face. She had been working all day and all afternoon and was utterly and completely tired and honestly wishing for a long and fulfilling break. As she slowly closed the large book next to her and moved the large pile of paperwork aside, she let her face hit the desk. Before she could protest against herself, she was asleep.

Slowly but surely dreams began collecting in her mind and swarmed her in an overwhelming fashion. She felt woozy as if someone had slipped witches brew into her body and soon, she began having a dream that revolved around a woman she hadn’t really spoken to in ages. _Hecate Hardbroom._ Before she was totally and utterly out into dreamland, she heard a whimper outside of herself.

The dream began with the figure of the teenage Hecate she knew the best. She stood inside of a metal cage with incredibly violent magic surrounding it. She reached out to Pippa as if asking her to break her free. Pippa could only watch as her body refused to move. Hecate began to cry out to her and called her by name repeatedly. Her voice grew more and more shrill as she began to claw at the cage and the magic containing her began to violently zap her like lightning. The screaming became more and more hoarse and fearful as the younger Hecate fell to her knees in a hysteric state.

Pippa tried with all her might to move forward, to free Hecate, to do _anything_. Nothing would work as she was forced to watch Hecate become the woman she was today. As the taller and older woman stood up in the cage, she began to glare at Pippa like she was one of her students. She started to feel small and scared as the taller woman broke free of the cage and began walking towards her. Just as the dream started to end, Pippa whispered, “ _I’m so sorry_.”

When she awoke, she was being shaken by her Deputy Headmistress. “Pippa! Pippa it’s just a dream wake up!”

She sat up and realized she had been sobbing as her face was stricken with tears. She cleared her throat and looked up at Miss Eventide with an unconvincing grin. “I’m quite alright, thank you dear.”

The red-haired Eventide shook her head and sat in the seat in front of her desk, “You were screaming her name again.”

“Was I?” Pippa asked as her grin turned into a frown and her eyes lost their spark, “Sorry to worry you.” The tears that had gone down her cheeks had accentuated the bags under her eyes. She probably looked like a mess at this point and nothing could convince the other witch that Pippa was ‘quite alright.’

“You should probably try to talk to her again.” Miss Eventide broke the silence as she let a concerned frown slide over her face, “I’m sure that might help ease your mind. Make sure to write this dream down too, perhaps it’ll help to talk it out with her.”

“I don’t believe she’d give me the time of day.” She ruefully said as she averted eye contact at all costs. “Besides, writing it down has only made them more frequent.”

“Hmm, well if that’s the case, then please retire for the evening. You look like you need it. I’ll give the children your speech tonight and then do my usual rounds.” The red-head assured as her long delicate locks bounced with a curt head-nod.

The pink witch wanted to protest but nothing came from her mouth as she knew her deputy was absolutely correct. All that could be let out in return was a small annoyed hum and then a smile and nod that replaced it. She shifted a piece of loose blonde hair around her ear and stood up from her desk.

“Thanks Evangeline.” Pippa managed before the red head could leave the office fully, “You always know what to say.”

“No worries Pippa, That’s why I’m here.” She joked back as she gently shut the door and went off down the corridor.

* * *

After a short while of pacing past her turret window she finally decided to retire to her room which was only but a short jaunt away from her office. As she rounded down the stairs and went through a few corridors she came across her room. Perhaps she would give transferring another try one of these days.

As she closed the door behind her she breathed in the scent of spun candy and delicate chocolate. She liked to spoil herself even if it was only by scent. Before her was a bright room with many windows, pink curtains with small owls on the ends, light wood furniture with crème cushions and fuzzy blankets and a large stone fireplace with the Pentangle’s logo chiseled into the top part near the mantle. The wood floor creaked sullenly as she threw off her heels into random directions to sit on a sofa nearest the fireplace where the fading light of the day leaked through the windows.

She let out a long and utterly done sigh that lasted for what seemed like forever as she melodramatically fainted over the back of her sofa. After she felt much better, especially after the drama she just threw out, she flicked her wrist and opened her window ever so slightly to allow fresh air in. Her owl let out a calm shriek as he let himself free of his usual perch to land by her side. She smiled at him and carefully slid her fingers over his back to carefully smooth down his feathers. He closed his eyes and bobbed his head back and forth as she did so as she always knew the spot that made him the happiest.

“Perky, you’re a good example of what I’d like to feel right now.” Pippa’s voice was soft and close to a whisper as she breathed out another sigh.

The familiar opened his eyes half-way and leaned his head towards her hand. She moved her hand up to match his movement and the owl closed his eyes again. She could do this for ages, but she felt something niggling at her faintly deep within her stomach. Evangeline’s words began to swarm in her head and bite at her.

_Try to talk to her again. Ease your mind. Talk it out with her. Talk to her again. Talk to her. **Talk.**_

She became so enthralled with these thoughts and anxiety that she didn’t even realize that Perky had been pecking at her hand ever-so-gently to throw her free of them. Pippa heaved another sigh out like a lead weight. If it were physical, it would go down through the floor and all the way to Pentangle’s basement levels. Carefully she lifted her head up to join the eyes of her owl’s who quietly let out a _hoo._

“Yes, I know Perky, I probably should.” She let a smile appear on her face among the rotten feelings deep inside of her.

This answer had satisfied her familiar as he flew back to his perch to settle in and fidget with his wing. She got up out of her seat and walked over to a mirror she kept on a table nearest to her bedroom’s entrance. She felt the rotten feeling dissipate and then suddenly get worse as she noticed her mirror already had a face in it. _Mildred Hubble._ The student appeared to be utterly worried about something as her face was red with tears and her plaits were completely in disarray as she nibbled on the ends while she awaited Miss Pentangle to pick up. The strange part of it all was that Mildred wasn’t at Cackles nor was she wearing her usual uniform, it appeared that she was home alongside another girl who had noticed her first.

“ _You_ \- ehem… Well met, Miss Pentangle.” The other girl hollered at her through the mirror and got closer to it. “Thank you for _finally_ picking up.”

“What seems to be the matter girls?” She asked as she grabbed the mirror and walked over to an armchair to sit down.

“It’s Joy.” The girl said as Mildred grimaced. The name hadn’t been settling to well with the plaited girl and she felt anxious at the use, especially around Miss Pentangle.

“Joy?” Pippa’s face contorted into a confused one but went along with it anyway, “What’s happened to her?”

“ _Miss Hardbroom_.” Mildred corrected as she sat her hair down back to their proper spots. “She’s erm… refusing to answer her mirror. Even Miss Cackle can’t reach her, nor can Indie. She’s said something about writing you an explanatory letter and going somewhere old to clear her head but that’s all she said. She hasn’t been the same since the Ethel thing.”

The “Ethel thing” had happened the day of Cackle’s final classes before summer. She had heard of it from Ada during the thick of it as she warned all the surrounding schools to be wary of her academy due to a ‘dangerous storm caused by unknown magics’. Due to that storm she had to keep her students a few more days for classes and tomorrow would be their final day. She remembered their disappointed and then excited faces as she promised them a slightly extended holiday due to the delay.

“Right, the Ethel thing.” Pippa nodded with a grimace as she now realized that said thing had involved Hecate directly. “So, she’s locked herself in her room?”

“That’s the problem. We don’t know where she went.” Indigo pitched in, which caused the feeling deep inside of Pippa’s stomach to get worse.

“We called you because you were also one of her closest friends after Indie.” Mildred added which caused Pippa to feel dizzy.

Who was Indie? Why was she Mildred’s age and yet somehow, she was Hecate’s once closest friend? What was even remotely going on? She remembered faintly that Hecate had been extraordinarily sad a few days out of the year and let it show to her classmates and said classmates only judged her and gave her even more space. She remembered when she had been moved up a year to be on Hecate’s level and how ecstatic she was to be so close to her and how she used to stay up late at night comforting her. She had tried to dive into why she was so upset but Hecate only pushed her away during those times. Her alluring nature had continued to keep her coming back. Perhaps Indie was the reason for those feelings, those awful indescribable feelings, the ones that had kept her up at night wondering what had happened to her, were all because of her. And Joy, Indie said her name was Joy and she felt so weird now to know that she knew so much yet so little about her best friend.

Her face grew more and more distant as more thoughts collected into her mind. She remembered the Leaver’s Ball and how Hecate had materialized in the center of it clad in a silver dress and hat and how stunned she was. How Hecate never showed off before and how she had become so distant the months and years leading up to that encounter. Pippa remembered even attempting to get close to her that night, but Hecate had avoided her at all costs. Then when she left Cackle’s she remembered that Hecate was nowhere in sight during their final ceremony and that she hadn’t taken her place to do the speech she had been asked to do so long ago. She remembered how much it hurt, how much it crushed her, how confused she was, how much it—

“Miss Pentangle?” Mildred broke her destructive thought process as she noticed tears gathering on the headmistress’ face. “Are you alright?”

“I’m alright, dear Mildred.” She waved her hand as if shooing away that question, “Worried about Miss Hardbroom is all.”

“Joy- HB’s a tough person. She should be okay, right?” Indie asked as she idly twisted her friendship bracelet around her wrist.

“Spot on, Indie.” Miss Pentangle held back the urge to unleash a stream of impossibly painful questions at the younger child as it would’ve been unbecoming of her to do so. “HB will probably be just fine. I think I might know where she is so I’ll go check there in the afternoon after we dismiss the students for the summer I’ll and report back to you girls by tomorrow evening around this time if that’s alright.”

“Thanks Miss Pentangle.” Mildred bowed her head and became small, “We’ll try our best to stay occupied until then.”

“You’re welcome girls, make sure to get some rest.” Pippa smiled to hold back anymore tears that threatened to escape. As soon as the call ended, she began to let out ungodly sobs. She was miserable and she felt it was unfairly so. She knew so much but so little and the 30-year absence in between the last time she saw her at school as girls and then at the Spelling Bee.

Her brain started to cling onto far off memories where Hecate had allowed her into her head during long nights. Where she used to comb her fingers through her long silky black hair and murmur sweet things to her in attempts to calm her down. Where Hecate’s magic would flow wildly during nightmares and how she would sing her calming chants to quell her fire. She remembered one night when she wasn’t soothing her when they’d sit under the stars after sneaking out past curfew. Where they’d name them off in a competition and whoever won would get bragging rights the next day. She looked up at the mirror and realized she had had a guest. _Ada_.

“Sorry dear, I didn’t want to make you jump.” Miss Cackle’s quiet and concerned voice filled the void between her now slowing and embarrassed sobs as her face became red. “I’m also sorry for calling so late in the evening. However, I assume you have already heard the news about Hecate?”

“W-Well met, Ada. Yes.” She wiped her face with a conjured frilly pink handkerchief. “Miss Hubble and Miss Indie called me just a few minutes ago to let me know. I’ll be seeking her out tomorrow.”

“Ah the girls called you. I see. They truly care about her, Pippa.” She soothed and then continued, “I feel they’ve grown to appreciate her even more after the incident.”

“Good, I hope that appreciation permeates her steel heart.” Pippa let slip out in a spiteful manner. She put her hands over her face which flushed immediately afterward. “I... I’m sorry I didn’t…”

“It’s quite alright.” Ada assured with one of her signature warm smiles and a nod. “I’ll check in on you later if you don’t mind. For now, I’ll leave you alone.”

“Thank you, Miss Cackle.” She formally ended and then hung up before the other headmistress could get another word in. Her body trembled with a mix of anger and sadness as she had felt embarrassment and humiliation begin to strangle her.

Since the past was so prominent in her mind, she began to remember the girls who dared to tease her when she supported Hecate. How they told her she cared too much for all the wrong reasons. How she cared for someone who didn’t deserve her time. How her care would only lead her to fall from grace before she graduated from Cackle’s. She slammed her fist down as she let the anger and sadness spiral out of control. It was rare that she let this slide out as she always liked to keep up the persona of being a modern witch with supreme control and calmness that could last for days.

While she was for the most part, caring and understanding and could keep her cool, when it came to Hecate, she was a broken heart as she was her weak spot. She was thankful that her room was shrouded in various silencing charms as she let out ungodly screams and curses which would have made any one of the witches or wizards who worshiped her blush.

After she finished her fit of unbridled rage and magic, she clambered over to her bed without changing from her pink dress. With a sigh she whispered out, “ _If you aren’t already dead, I’m killing you myself._ ” She didn’t really mean it, and knowing Hecate she’d be okay, but it was a total and utter mood.

* * *

The morning of the closing ceremonies of Pentangle’s Academy had arrived and Pippa had slept relatively well for being an emotional wreck the night before. She dressed in her best and most pink dress, heels and did her hair up in a tight and well-kempt ponytail. As she walked down the stairs towards the great hall, she couldn’t help but turn her unsure frown into a large smile. The sound of chattering and excitement filled every nook and cranny accessible to students.

As she said her hellos and gave out smiles to every student that interacted with her, she attempted to not relapse into her destructive state given the high spirits around her. She took her spot at the table in the front of the hall alongside her deputy and the other various witches and wizards who taught there. They gave her their greetings and dove back into eating their special summertime meals. Which consisted of fresh yogurts and fruits with jams and extremely fattening but delicate butters along with a crisp apple juice-like drink with berries and mint thrown in. She would’ve preferred tea but attempted to enjoy the new drink especially since it was made specifically for this day.

It felt good to eat after skipping dinner the evening before even if her stomach protested it. So, she made the most of everything laid out before her. As she finished, she sat back in her seat to gaze out on the students past the podium.

Evangeline finished with a scone and then turned her head to look at Pippa, “How are you doing this morning?”

“Better than last evening. Thank you for what you did.” She put her voice down to just quiet enough to be heard over the chatter.

“No need to thank me, I’ve always got your back.” Evangeline let out in a sing-song voice as she returned to her meal. “I’m sure you’ll feel better after today’s end.”

“I’m excited for the students.” She admit in a genuinely happy tone, “I remember how excited I was when it was time for break. Especially summer mornings, those were my favorite when I was free of school.”

“Agreed.” One of the teachers chipped in with a joyful expression. “It’s always a pleasure to let them free and fly.”

Once breakfast had ended Miss Pentangle had kept her students in the Great Hall as classes had been ended the day before. Today was a day for unwinding a bit before being let wild. The hall had been cleared of all food and dishware leaving only empty tables with twitchy and exuberant students.

She stood at a podium at the front of the teacher’s table that had Pentangle’s logo alongside several owls and moons carved into it. “Good morning my dear students.”

The entire room erupted in a returned greeting which nearly always caught Miss Pentangle off guard despite it being commonplace by now. As this academy had been a huge dream of hers.

“Today is a very special day for all of us. The day where we are set free to play and roam and explore the world around us. As classes have finished, bags have been packed I have decided to allow all of you to go early today as the weather is absolutely beautiful. When you return to our academy after you fly free, I hope you return fresh and anew and ready to gobble up more knowledge.” She put up her hands as her familiar materialized on the other side of the room and then flew across the ceiling which began to reveal the blue cloudless sky as the upper windows opened to allow in fresh air. Despite it being a norm, the students were still gasping at the magnificent display. The owl then landed on Pippa’s shoulder.

“Now, Mister Quartz, please lead the school in our song.” She smiled and then returned to her seat as a tall man with a large brown beard and striking purple robes replaced her at the front.

He cleared his throat and looked over his pair of circular spectacles at the rows of students at their long tables, “Unleash our wings, our hearts, our souls as magic fills us the potions grow, With heads held up high our spirits soar, and our chants banish all foes..”

The students followed behind and the room erupts into excited singing that harmonizes beautifully as a rainbow of colors appears around the rows of students.

“We summon our friendships to last a lifetime as we fill the halls with finished goals, as our time ends here at Pentangles, we’ll let the fondness show!”

The room went silent as Pippa returned to the front next to Mister Quartz and with a huge and excited voice she said, “You are now all dismissed! Have a fabulous summer, I cannot wait to see you all next school year!” Her familiar left the room after that to presumably hunt mice.

The students let out cheers as they got up from their seats en masse and left the great hall for the front courtyard where all their things had neatly been lined up for their departure. The teachers as well as Miss Pentangle followed them out and gave their goodbyes as the students left for the year.

“That was really lovely of you, Pippa.” Miss Cinnamon commented, “Especially since we had to keep them longer this year.”

“I try.” Pippa returned in a soft and humor-filled voice. “I hope you all have a lovely break as well. I’ll be seeing you bright and early before next year begins.”

“I’ll watch over the castle for you while you take that break you need.” Evangeline said as she elbowed her lightly as she passed.

Pippa gave up thanking her at this point as all she ever gave her in return was a bashful _“That’s my job!”_ So, she flashed her a smile in exchange instead.

With that all taken care of she could finally go seeking out the tall gangly witch who seemed to disappear when she needed her the most. She returned to her room with the aid of a transference spell which, even though she was an adult, made her feel utterly awful. She fetched her broom and her hat along with a summer riding cloak and placed it on.

She walked up the stairs to the top of the castle and mounted her broom. She was usually caught flying side-saddle as that made her look more delicate and beautiful but today it was business. She commanded her broom up and then forward as she zipped off towards Cackle’s Academy through the crisp yet warming morning.

* * *

As she arrived at the tall and bold castle at the top of a large and glorious mountain she was met with the silence of a place on holiday. She felt her ears prick up when she heard sounds emanating from the back of her. Without turning around she held up a hand which froze whoever was lurking behind. She turned around and glared and realized it was only a small bird attempting to exist.

She flushed and released it with a flick of her wrist. “Apologies, dear bird.”

Pippa walked up to the gates that were locked tight and then began to open as if on queue as the figure of Ada stepped out to greet her.

“Well met, Pippa.” Ada put her hand up to her forehead and bowed and then Pippa returned the same.

“Any updates on Hecate’s whereabouts?” Pippa asked, craving to know the answer.

Ada shook her head but then offered advice, “Perhaps you should go see to her room. Maybe she has left a clue behind? I didn’t dare check as I felt It was an invasion of privacy, but I see no harm in you doing so.”

Pippa nodded hesitantly and then pursed her lips, “Curious.” She looked back at the forest and saw a faint blue light imitating from it. “Do you see that?”

“See what?” Ada asked as she looked behind her into the forest to see nothing.

“I think I see what she’s trying to do.” Pippa continued, turning fully around the face the forest.

“I still don’t quite understand?” Ada questioned as she squinted her eyes.

“She left me a trail to follow. Me. Specifically.” Pippa answered and then walked closer to the edge of the gates.

“I won’t stop you, good luck!” Ada waved at her and then vanished back into the castle and the door closed ever so quietly.

Pippa began running towards the light until she was in a clearing. She was met with a dirt circle with grass surrounding it. She dare not enter it but stared at it as the light emanated from it’s center. A spell triggered as it interacted with her magic and a scene began to play out of a young girl with plaits. She saw her running after a girl and then that same girl turning into stone in the center of the forest where the dirt was. A false statue stood in the center for a while before it fizzled out into nothingness. She was left alone again and confused until she saw the witch that she looked for step out into the clearing.

“Hecate?” Pippa’s voice was quiet and confused.

“Joy.” Hecate returned in an uncomfortable voice and then continued, “Loved the non-magical world. So, so, very much. She would prance around in it despite nobody being able to see or hear her. Nobody except…”

“Indie.” Pippa filled in with a choked voice.

“Indie.” Hecate reflected at her in an equally as emotional voice. “Indigo believed in magic despite being a non-magical. She desperately tried to thrive and live off of it to gain money and be able to eat so Joy tried to get her help by stealing…. _A wishing star.”_

Pippa felt her emotional vaults begin to overflow again as tears lingered in the corners of her eyes and a quiet whine escaped her lips in protest. _Just like Mildred… just like Ethel…_ Just like… she wanted to do for Hecate… no matter the consequences.

“She wished so desperately for Indigo Moon to have powers that the star complied and filled her with forbidden magic so powerful that she could not contain it.” Hecate struggled at this point but kept walking nearer to Pippa. “So, Joy hatched a plan that she could not continue through with, one to allow Indigo to join Cackle’s so she and her new friend could live together, and one would not live alone. But the powers were too much and the girl began to go crazy. Indigo left the castle and went into this clearing and spoke of vanishing the school to end all her ills to set them free. Joy protested but was too late as her friend began to fade to stone.”

Pippa walked forward one step at a time as the dreams she had the weeks before started unfolding again. Each had Hecate in a cage, each had Pippa being unable to move. She didn’t want them to come true, she didn’t want to hear the next words. _She wasn’t ready._

“Learning of this news, Alma sentenced Joy to imprisonment to the castle until she proved herself worthy of her freedom.” At this point Hecate was close enough for Pippa to touch but neither of them moved. “Despite her imprisonment, and as the rebel she was, Joy tried to leave the castle several times only to be zapped by powerful magic and left scarred to remember her failed efforts. When her mother died and her, she was left to her father’s wrath she bore it alone. His disappointment was enough to kill her on the inside until the Joy left her only as _Hecate_.” The last word was spat out as if it was a curse. “Hecate began to fill herself with the Witch’s Code until she memorized it page by page, word for word, letter by letter. Until it was all she knew. Until it was her… _personality_.”

Pippa shakily moved her hand up to Hecate’s face and cupped it. The taller witch allowed it as she continued her story. Her face became red as tears freely went down her cheeks.

“That’s when she met a girl who always accessorized with pink. Who always looked her in the eye when they spoke, who always looked after her, who always loved her no matter what she did or what she said or how much she lashed out.” She tried her best to keep her voice steady, but it became harder and harder until she could speak no more. She let out a laugh that became a whimper and then collapsed into Pippa’s arms as telling the truth had worn her out.

The pink witch wanted to let out a pained sob but held it back as she had to be there for her friend, her best friend, the one she loved with all of her being despite the 30 year period in between and the silent nights filled with bitter tears. She held her with all of her might and let her cry into her chest as she attempted to say words of comfort, but they came out unintelligible as everything fit together into a completed puzzle.

Joy Hecate Hardbroom had to be tethered to the castle for 30 years, never had a childhood, was always an outcast and served the Witch’s Code despite it failing her abysmally. That’s why she never graduated or moved on, that’s why she never told her the truth, that’s why the students always treated her like dirt. She was so angry and so sad and so broken that she wanted to jostle the woman who sentenced her to save her school and her name.

All the letters that had been returned to her without a reply, all the attempts to contact her that had failed, all the endless silence between them after she had finally left Cackle’s Academy. It all made sense. It all made sense and she hated it because she thought it was her. She thought she had caused the silence; she had thought she was the reason that Hecate didn’t talk to her. How could she have been daft so self-centered so—

“I’m… I’m… I’m so sorry... I’m so sorry Pippa…” Hecate sputtered out in barely there breaths, “I didn’t meant to…”

“Hiccup.” Pippa managed in the steadiest voice she had mustered in eons since they saw one another in the clearing, “ _You don’t need to be sorry_.”

“Pipsqueak I…” She shuddered under her grasp as Pippa instinctively kissed her forehead to comfort her.

“Shhhh.” She put a finger to her lips and smiled ever so slightly, “It’s okay. It’s gonna be okay. You’re okay.” Calm began washing over her as she sucked in some of her emotional outpouring in exchange for energy to quell her tears.

They sat there for a long while holding one another as if no time had passed. She cradled Hecate close and smoothed a finger over her cheek with a shaky smile on her lips. Sun began filtering down on the pair, lighting them in brilliant light. It took a while, but Hecate was able to sit up again her face red and her eyes raw.

“Thank you for trusting me, Hiccup.” Pippa whispered to her somberly.

“I’ve wanted to tell you so many times…” Hecate admit in a small voice.

“I know.” Pippa murmured in return, “I’ll have to tell Indie, Mildred and Ada that you’re okay.”

Hecate looked up at her with pleading eyes as if telling her not to leave her side.

“They can wait. You’ve waited long enough.” She said as she moved down to kiss her on the cheek very lightly.

“I …” Hecate began but start, shutting her lips tight together.

“Yes darling?” Pippa asked in a sincerely loving voice.

“I love you Pippa.” Hecate swallowed as she said the unfamiliar words.

 _“I love you too, Hecate.”_ Pippa returned with a smile filled with confidence.


End file.
